no toes

i want to cut my toes off and wear these all summer long!

(available HERE if you are filthy rich)

welcome to my lair

last post you got a look at my (previously) UGLY downstairs/basement room and today is the mini reveal of the work in progress to the half of the room designated to my dressing area and clothes storage. though it's not magazine worthy yet... (or ever) it is my pride and joy. for the first time i can *see* and readily retrieve all of my clothing and accessories! for the first time ever i got ready quickly and arrived somewhere ON TIME! it's a miracle i tell ya!

here's what i have to thank for it:

TA- DAHHHH!

my "dressing room"

my vintage vanity with huge mirror provides quick and easy outfit critiques - now i can just hold things up and put together an outfit without having to run into the living room to check in the mirror there - this saves lots of time but doesn't burn as many calories running around like a chicken with my head cut off (that's such a gross saying) -it's a sacrifice i'll make!

*note - i'm not showing you the whole vanity because the mirror was super smudgy and gross and i didn't want you to see me in the reflection cause i was in my jammies*

yes, lois made the move and instead of sitting in the window of the guest room scaring off potential burglars -and my friends and neighbors- she is back to her rightful job of holding my necklaces (and sporting a new "blair waldorf inspired headband i just got at target!)

in this interesting nook by the vanity i keep my little deer collection.

i'm going to paint the inside a nice bright color - any suggestions? comment below!

the shoe closet which you saw in the previous post is seen in the bottom right corner of this pic

here is one of the compartments that i took the majority of the shelves out and instead installed a rod to hang my nicer shirts and vests (i have lots of vests for some reason!)

sweatshirts are stored on top

nice shirts hang

tees, tanks, sweaters, and cardigans are folded and stored in drawers below

in the compartment beside that are:

some bags (the kind you throw magazines in to go to the beach, or produce in at the market, or a blanket in for the park) and my "painting clothes"

skirts hang

yoga tops and bottoms, as well as jeans, pants and leggings

are folded and stored in drawers below

here is a view of those two compartments as well as the drawers i mentioned below them to give you a broader view and an idea of how the built-ins are... well, built.

there is a very small closet that is technically in the office side of the room

i can say "very small closet" now that i have an entire room dedicated to my clothes... but yes, this is the NORMAL sized closet that up until this point i lived with for years.

there i store my travelling bags, hang my dresses and put shoes that aren't pretty enough to go in the shoe closet (ie: tennis shoes, vans, and bummin' around oxfords)

in the two last compartments i kept the shelves in order to store my bags (purses).

i only photographed one side but you get the point....

oh, and in the basket on top are belts that don't hang well and in the drawers below are undies, bras, socks, tights and winter hats & scarves.

finally (whew!) we get to the rolling rack which divides the space and holds my jackets, blazers and hanging belts

i have stored my magazines (most of them anyway) in baskets under the rolling rack for easy reference. i should do a "tear book" so i don't have to keep all of the mags -just the pics i love- but i just love magazines as objects. i love flipping through them and seeing things in the context of the issue, of the month, and the year and time of year... not just isolated images.

i know i am completely spoiled here and i'm sure that once we start a family this whole thing will have to be re-done to make room for kids and their things but until then... i'm going to be selfish and indulge in having all of this space!

** tomorrow i'll show you how i've stored and organized my jewelry and makeup thus far (there's still more to do)

so STAY TUNED!**

you want this.

ATTENTION ALL!

beth from the vintage society has this dress available in her etsy shop and someone needs to buy it immediately, if not soooona.

i want it sooo badly but unless i stop eating and loose a bra size, it's not gonna happen. so someone do me a favor and head over here and buy it now! then report back and show off how amazing you look in it for my enjoyment slash jealousy-fuel.

thankyouverymuch.

in the blackbelt

today we travelled down to the blackbelt of alabama to check out the farm that we are hoping to use for our wedding. it was a GORGEOUS day in the south and the drive was so nice. first we went to the chapel - built in 1859. 





i'm a total weirdo with an affinity for cemeteries so i just had to go over to check it out. the oldest grave we found was from the very early 1800's - i meant to remember the date but there was so much going on in my brain today i've now forgotten it. anyway, here it is:



inside the chapel. it had that "old" smell but it was very authentic feeling and the history is so rich i didn't mind at all.

next we went to the "white house" to check it out as a spot to hold our reception. we are thinking of throwing the front doors open and having tons of candles all over and putting up a tent with seating outside. 



you can't really see it here, but we could use the back porch and the porch area of this little shed to set up the buffet and bar areas. and in between the main house and the shed is a little fire pit that would be great for s'mores :)

selfishly, i'd have to admit my favorite part of the day was stopping by the roadside to pick a wildflower bouquet! pretty, pretty!





and in other crazy exciting news...

we put an offer on the house and should know something by 6pm tomorrow. 

any form of prayer, well wishes, or happy/lucky vibes sent our way will be greatly appreciated! wish us well - we really want this!

list of wishful thinking

things i will look forward to when we have a house:

• being able to let the dogs run around in the backyard as opposed to having to walk them around the park on leashes
• a laundry room!!! i will cry the first time i can wash and dry in my own home again!
• (hopefully) a dishwasher - i don't hate washing dishes but that's probably only because we never cook and thus don't have many dishes to wash. but once we have a house we'll be eating in all the time so i hope we have one.
• a place for my vespa... that isn't my living room. i'm serious. there is currently a huge scooter in my living room. 
• painting, decorating and hanging light fixtures! i want light fixtures!
• having people over - right now we don't because there's not room and we are embarrassed by how far we've let our place go since we have a mental exit date - it's pathetic.
• (hopefully) a guest room. i have NO idea where my friend clare is going to sleep when she comes to visit because as it stands right now, we have no guest room and such a tiny living room that we don't even have a full size sofa for her to sleep on... and she's really tall!
• starting a garden! this is a must!